1. Our Political Situation
My task is to preach the Bible
Our task is to:
interpret the teachings of the Bible
Act on the teachings as God leads
Respect one another in the church
A COVENANT Church
allows people to interpret the scriptures as God leads them
Allows for differences of opinion
Does NOT expect everyone to agree

2. I know Biblical Christians…
Strong Republicans
Strong Libertarians
Strong Democrats
Strong Trump supporters
Strong Hillary supporters
All sides say “How can they think like that?”

3. The Biblical Situation
Paul had multiple groups of people angry at him all at once
The Jews- His ancestry
Pharisees; believed in the Resurrection of the dead; live life with an eye toward eternity
Saducees; did not believe in the Resurrection; live life to the fullest now
The Romans; tasked with keeping the peace at all costs
Treated Citizens with “special privileges”

4. Acts 22:19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” 23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

5. 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. Paul Before the Sanhedrin 30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

6. The Biblical Situation
Acts 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” 5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.

7. 6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) 9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

8. The Plot to Kill Paul 12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” 16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.

9. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” 20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” 22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

10. 23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”25 He wrote a letter as follows: 26 Claudius Lysias,To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment.

11. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. 31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

12. 1. Paul respected authority even when he had no respect for the person in the position of authority
5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.”

13. 2. Paul capitalized on the advantages of his citizenship
“Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

14. 3. Paul was happy to be inclusive of people who differed from him
21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
Acts 22:22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”

15. 4. Paul wrote many letters encouraging people of different opinions to get along in the church
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

16. 4. Paul wrote many letters encouraging people of different opinions to get along in the church
Phil 2:1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Why so much about getting along?
Because they weren’t getting along!

17. Who’s welcome/can feel safe/ can feel valued/ at Living Hope?
Everyone!
I will stand by that!
Unprecedented pressure to:
Draw battle lines and leave Christianity at the door
Leave to surround yourself with people who think like you do
Have the last word
Quip with little digs at others

18. An Issue of priorities Safety? Military strength?
Balancing the budget?
Feeding the poor?
Providing funds for disabled?
Where does freedom end?
At what choice?
Abort a baby?
Bear arms?
Sexual preference/ orientation?
How does one interpret the bill of rights?
Tour Guide of St Marks bascilica
“the most important thing! We soon stopped believing her
Everything can’t be the most important thing!

19. How do we continue to be a politically diverse congregation?
I WILL NEVER TELL YOU HOW TO THINK
I WILL NEVER TELL YOU NOT TO HAVE AN OPINION
Please do not carry on discussions about politics at worship, in the entryway, or over coffee. You will be overheard!
Please do get together for coffee with someone you think believes different than you!

20. Discussing Politics! Some guidelines
Live into your citizenship
Claim your freedoms
Be respectful of an office even if you don’t respect the person
Ask a person of different convictions to
“what social issues are the priority for you?”
“tell me how you have come to your conclusions”
“where does (your top conviction) fall in your list of priorities?
“Where is it written?”- Share Scriptures together
Expect and allow passionate language
Commit to love one another in spite of differences

21. So What? The Church in North America is facing division
Be an agent of Unity
How will we share the gospel with people who believe differently politically than if they won’t even listen because of our political zeal?
What is a soul’s value?